The first casualties of upheaval can be love, kindness, and patience. But crisis is also a moment when love for God & one another can spring up. For 150 days, starting on 17th March 2020, I will write 300 words based on one of the 150 psalms in the bible. How can I find and give love in the midst of coronavirus?

Take your medicine once a day before a meal. An apple a day keeps the doctor away (it doesn’t – it gives me wind). Take one piece of essential exercise each day is the advice under coronavirus restrictions. Certain things, repeated daily, are meant to help us get healthier, happier or more intelligent.

Every morning, as almost the first thing, I read a psalm. I’ve been doing so for years. I choose to do it in my bed, before checking the news, Facebook, Instagram and the latest score from the cricket in India/Australia/West Indies. “Word before the world” as a lady in my church told me lately. So the psalms are like my morning medicine.

In writing these daily reflections, I went back to Psalm 1 on March 17th to start them over again. Each day they have been helpful – but today’s psalm was a moment when I read and the words jumped straight into my heart and I thought “Thank you God, I needed to hear that. This is for me today.” Hear the words of Psalm 43:

² You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? ³ Send me your light and your faithful care, let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. ⁴ Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight. I will praise you with the lyre, O God, my God. ⁵ Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.

There are moments when we find ourselves thinking “What have I done?”, “Where am I going?”, “What is the answer?”, “Am I walking where God wants me to go?”. Then this psalm is medicine for your soul – make it your prayer.

I read it and prayed verse 3 for myself – “send me your light and your faithful care; let them lead me to your holy mountain”. Make this your prayer if you are unsure. God, please lead me. Show me where to go and what to do. And above all lead me into your presence and your will.

At that moment an email arrived from someone in my church – with a simple message for me – just confirming the words I had just prayed. Thank you God.

So, whatever your situation – take the psalms as medicine. Take them daily. It won’t always be comfortable – but God will speak – He will lead you. Trust me, I know.

May you be led into His presence today. Love Matt